Sep 2014

Sustaining Agricultural Productivity and Improved Livelihood in Ammaiyanaickanur Model Watershed, Tamil Nadu

Objectives• Toimproverurallivelihoodsthroughparticipatoryintegratedwatersheddevelopmentwithconsortiumapproach

• ToestablishassiteoflearningatDindiguldistrict,Tamilnadufordemonstratingthepotentialofrainfedagriculturetoimprovelivelihoodswhileprotectingtheenvironment

• Tobuildcapacityofdifferentstakeholdersforenhancingimpactofwatershedprogram.

Watershed profile • Area:2496ha.

• TreatableArea:1573ha.

• Soils:Redclaysoils

• Annualrainfall:782mm

• No.ofhouseholds:730

Consortium partners• InternationalCropsResearchInstitutefortheSemi-AridTropics(ICRISAT)

• MinistryofRuralDevelopment,GovernmentofIndia

• DistrictAdministration,Dindigul,TamilNadu.

• CentreforImprovedRuralHealthandEnvironmentalProtection(CIRHEP)-NGO

Crop Variety

Yield(t/ha)*

%increase

Farmerspractice

Improvedpractice

Pearlmillet

HHB67 1.18 1.80 54

ICMV221 1.03 1.80 75

Mean 1.12 1.80 62

Sorghum CSV15 1.29 2.07 62

CSV22 1.33 2.01 53

Mean 1.32 2.02 55

Crop yields in participatory field trial in Dindigul watershed, Tamilnadu

Productivity Enhancement

Soil & Water Conservation

Vegetable Production

Flower Cultivation

Animal Health Camp

MinistryofRuralDevelopmentGovernmentofIndia

• Variousrainwaterharvesting(12checkdams,15wellrechargepits,5percolationtankandseveralsmall)structureswereconstructed

• About15000m3ofrainwaterstoragecapacitycreated• Farmersparticipatedinproductivity

enhancementfieldtrials(450farmers)

• Increaseincropyieldsinimprovedpracticewas55-62%overfarmerpractice

• Improvedavailabilityofadditionalwaterencouragedfarmerstodiversifyfieldcropstohighvaluecrops(flowersandvegetable,etc)

Location Map